Author: Ann.Frimps

HARMATTAN STYLE GUIDE 🏜️

| Ann.Frimps

While some parts of the world are looking forward to the winter ❄️ season, it’s almost harmattan here in some parts of Africa . Harmattan comes with cold dry conditions in the mornings and evenings and the afternoons are really hot and sunny most times.

The conditions of this season brings about difficulties especially with health,skincare and clothing. If you go for heavy clothing due to the cold weather in the morning, you might find yourself in a bit of a fix if temperatures rise in the afternoon. There are some tips that are very helpful for this season which I’d like to share in this post . I hope they make this season less of a pain . 👍.

1. Skin

Harmattan brings about a drop in humidity. Humidity is very low during this period whic causes moisture loss to the skin leaving it dry , sometimes flaky and itchy too. It is very important to take care of your skin . Here are some skincare tips for harmattan

  • Hydration 💦 – Drink a lot of water to replace the moisture you keep loosing. Drinking water will flush out toxins and keep your skin hydrated and moist . If you’re not really a “water person” you can include these healthy water substitutes to your hydration – Juicy fruits ( watermelons, oranges ) , coconut water, fruit juice, fruit infused water, hydrous veggies(cucumber, tomatoes, carrots),slushies and smoothies .
  • Moisturizing – Use oil concentrated lotions or creams. You can also decide to use whatever lotion or cream you already use and add some essential oils like coconut oil , or even baby oil🤭. It helps keep the skin supple .
  • Moisturize right after bathing 🚿- The skin absorbs moisture very well if it’s damp. Don’t wait until your skin is completely dry before moisturizing.
  • Try to keep hand cream at all times to moisturize your hands and arms when you’re on the go.
  • Use creams and moisturizers which contain natural ingredients like cocoa butter, shea butter , olive oil, coconut oil and aloe vera gel. Avoid alcohol based ones.
  • Put on sunscreen. Some creams already have UV protection/sunblock properties, so those ones work fine.

2. Lips

The lips are prone to get chapped and cracked up. This is when the lip balms come in handy. It’s best to use lip balms which contain natural ingredients like Shea butter, coconut oil and olive oil .

3. Clothing guide

Unless you want to keep applying cream every few hours, these are some clothes and accessories you’d want to avoid this harmattan ☀️.

  • Sandals and slippers- The feet dry up quickly so to avoid moisturizing every few minutes avoid sandals especially if you find your self in a dusty environment
    • Anything above the knee. Skip those shorts and go for long/maxi dresses and skirts and trousers .

It’s cold in the mornings and evenings and warm in the afternoons. As much as you’d like to be warm in the mornings it’s important that you consider that it gets really hot in the afternoon so you’ve got to chose clothes that are suitable for both conditions.

You can wear a sweater/ coat/jacket over your blouse or shirt so that you can take them of during the afternoons . It’s also important that you wear protective clothing/accessories especially if you’re asthmatic, rheumatic, having SCD , pneumonic or having/prone to respiratory diseases. Some of these protective clothing/accessories are: turtlenecks , heavy sweaters🧥, socks, nose masks😷, hoodies and tights. Protect your eyes from the sun and dust by wearing some cool shades( they come in different shapes, sizes and colours, I’m sure you’ll find one just right for you 😉)

#HarmattanHack- Honey+Warm water works for coughs, irritations and sore throats.

Take care and stay healthy this season. I know this post is going to make this harmattan less dreadful for you. Tell me your harmattan hacks and tips in the comments section or via Pinterest, Email or Twitter. Don’t forget to like, share and reach out to me if you’ve got any questions, concerns , requests and suggestions.

Stay safe and cozy 💕. 👋Bye for now.🤗

WINTER ❄️ FASHION GUIDE.

| Ann.Frimps

It’s December, which means winter is coming up in the temperate and polar zones . The ultimate goal to achieve with fashion this season is warmth. It might be cold and chilly outside but you can still look your best and be warm. I got a request to write a post on winter fashion guide especially with which fabric and materials are suitable for this season. I’ll also be sharing some other tips which I think will be helpful for the winter season.

1. The best fabrics for winter

*Wool

Wool is the warmest fabric to go for during winter. It insulates the body and prevents heat from escaping the body . It is advisable to go for clothes made from wool because they are warm and durable.

* Fleece

Fleece has thermal insulating properties. It reduces heat transfer between the body and the environment. Moisture resistant and lightweight,also 👍.

*Hemp

Hemp might sound unusual but it’s really warm, it insulates the body , keeps you dry and it’s sustainable🌍❤️……… what’s better than that?

* Cashmere

Cashmere is softer and finer than wool . It has this soft and fluffy feel . Cashmere is very cozy and breathable too.

*Flannel

One thing that pops into my mind when I think about flannel is Christmas 🎄🙃. Flannel is warm but not so warm . It good for days that are moderately cold .

There are many other fabrics and fibres that are good for winter. The fuzzier the warmer 🤗 . But please avoid cotton. Cotton is very absorbent , so it absorbs sweats but you don’t want that because you’re going to be wet and chilly from the moisture of the sweat 🥶. It’s better to save it for the summer. Also avoid synthetic fibers like rayon , acetate, polyester and nylon. They are not at all breathable, they’ll trap heat but not like in the insulating kind of way. – the sweaty kind of way. Plus , they’re not eco-friendly.

2. Layering

During winter, wearing just one layer of clothing may not be a good idea . It’s better to put on about three layers- First layer to keep the chill and sweat away, second layer to insulate and keep you snuggly😊 and the third layer to protect from wind, rain and wet snow . It’s really up to you and how cold it is if you’d like to add more layers.

  • Base layer – tights, long sleeved , close fitting shirts ( try to avoid cotton, it absorbs moisture)
  • Middle layer – sweaters, jackets , jeans, turtleneck
  • Outer layer – Shell coat, coat , trench coat , poncho

Now, one great advantage of layering is that you can undo/remove some of the layers when you begin to feel warm or when temperatures rise during the day .

Layering doesn’t only work for clothes. During bedtime you can layer your blankets to keep you warm and cozy all night long🙂.

#WinterHack- Wrap your clothes around a hot water bottle or heating pad to make them warm .

3. Experiment with winter accessories.

Investing in different winter accessories for your winter wardrobe is the best decision you can make . Winter wardrobes have somewhat very limited options because they only/mostly consist of clothes made to keep you warm. With this you can make good use of winter accessories. By playing around with colours with scarves, gloves , snow shoes and boots , hats and ear muffs you can create fabulous looks with very limited choice of clothes .

Try to eat warm foods to be armed against the cold , inside – out .

Snuggle up, get some hot chocolate ☕ and wait for more exciting posts. I hope these tips will keep you cozy all winter long . How do you stay warm during winter? Share in the comments section or via Pinterest , Email or Twitter. Don’t forget to like and share as well. And oooo! Christmas is coming up 😄. Get ready for some festivity and good tidings.

👋 See you soon. 💕

COLOURS (PART I)

| Ann.Frimps

Ann.Frimps's avatarFashion and Style

Colours matter a lot in Fashion . The colours we wear and how we wear them speak a lot about our outfits . In this post and other subsequent posts, I will be talking about some colours and their relevance and symbolism.

1. Let’s start with theS

Neutral colours could suggest, calm , purity and wholesomeness . Other people also see them as boring. White , black, brown , grey , ivory ,cream , beige , tan , khaki and many other colors and shades form part of neutrals . These colours are the best when you’re going for a minimalistic look🖤 . Most neutrals match with every color, they can really mix well and coordinate together(especially with accessories) and they do not draw much attention . In my opinion, neutrals are very essential in every wardrobe.

Tip * neutrals are good for office/ professional outfits*💼.

2.

Warm colours…

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HEADWEAR – ACCESSORIZE ✨ (The series)

| Ann.Frimps

Headwear range from fedoras, sunhats, hijabs, caps to berets, fascinators, tiaras , beanies and numerous other ones . Apart from serving as design features, they also protect from the sun 🌞 , keep the head warm during winter ❄️ and come to rescue during a bad hair day 😉🤭.

There are a lot of headwear and each of them have distinctive features and functions. They are very easy to style yet headwear like hats and caps come with some rules and guides you must follow when you wear them .

Hat etiquette for men.

Your hat should be off when :

  • Being introduced.
  • Greeting
  • The national anthem is being played/sung
  • A flag is being hoisted
  • Indoors
  • At the table (mealtime)
  • At religious service/ house of worship (unless hats are required /allowed. For instance: the Taqiyah/kufi worn by Muslims. )

Hats should be on when :

  • Outdoors
  • In public transport
  • At athletic events

Women’s hat etiquette

*This only applies to fashion hats

Hats should be on at:

  • Anytime. Unlike the men, women can wear their hats at anytime

Hats should be off when:

  • It obstructs another persons view at the cinema or during weddings
  • At work , unless required by the job

During the evenings top hats are permissible for men ( though, hats are quite rare these days for men🤷) . For women, wide brim hats should be off after sunset because these hats are usually for shielding the face from the sun 🌞 so there is no need for them once the sun goes down . Fascinators and tiaras are appropriate in the evening.

Fun fact

Did you know that a chef’s hat has one hundred folds👨‍🍳👩‍🍳 which represent the hundred ways an egg can be cooked . Cool. Right?

Caps, unless baseball caps follow the same rules of the hat etiquette for men. These rules apply to both sexes in this context. However, baseball caps can be worn at sporting events whether indoors or outdoors.

Fascinators

Fascinators…… fancy. These glamorous headpieces are usually worn for weddings. They come in different shapes, sizes and designs. Fascinators are not always extravagant there are simple styled ones too. Styling a fascinator is quite easy, . It just has to match with or complement your dress and other accessories

When wearing a large fascinator with lots of details, go low with the jewelry especially on the ears and neck . If you’ll be wearing a fascinator for long hours, make sure it’s light-weighted and it is fastened properly (you don’t want your fascinator falling of in the middle of a wedding ceremony.)

Headbands

Fitness headband/sweatband

Fitness headbands keep hair from your face during workouts 💪. They also absorb sweat💦to prevent it from running down all over your face.

Spa/skincare headband

Spa headbands are solely meant to be worn during skincare time or makeup application to keep hair away from the face. They shouldn’t be worn outside as part of an outfit.

Fashion headbands

Flowers 🌺 , sequins , pearls , or just solid plain . Fashion headbands come in varieties and are go to accessories. They can be made of different materials like metal , plastic, or cloth . I prefer metal and cloth ones, they’re durable

Hair clips, ties and pins

They help keep your hair in place, whether it’s a ponytail or a messy bun and at the same time providing a touch of glam. Consider how a scrunchie adds more detail to a ponytail.

Headwrap/ scarf

Head scarfs are probably the most worn head accessory here in Africa. It is very versatile and the way they are twisted , turned and tied by African women is just an artful sight to behold.

Choosing headwear

During the fall🍁, winter ❄️ and monsoon🌧️ seasons hats or headwear like knit caps and felt hats are the most suitable, because they are made of heavy fabric and materials and they will keep your head warm and cozy all day. ☺️

In summer🏖️, spring🌷and harmattan ☀️, wide brim and light hats like sun hats and straw hats are the best. They don’t absorb a lot of heat and they’ll shield your face from the sun. They match with almost everything, dresses , shorts ,…. everything

The next time you decide to put on headwear consider; how long you’ll be wearing it for , climate factors and the occasion . Be creative with them and make sure to observe those etiquettes 😉😉

I do hope that this post got you informed. There’ll be more coming your way on ACCESSORIZE ✨ ( The series). Make sure you don’t miss it. Like, tell me what you think in the comments section and share.

Thanks for reading 🙂. See you soon 👋

SUIT ACCESSORIES – ACCESSORIZE ✨ (The series)

| Ann.Frimps

SUIT ACCESSORIES👔

Suits , as we all know are usually for professional and formal settings and others like weddings. However , we have : business formal, business professional , business casual and casual under professional outfits. The accessories you choose can determine which of the four categories your outfit falls under. The accessories under this category are usually used or worn any how, so this post ( the first one of the series) , is all about suit accessories.

1. TIE

Ties are the commonly known and used suit accessory . They are very necessary and mandatory in every formal outfit especially for males. Choosing the appropriate tie to suit an outfit for a particular setting is quite tricky.

The usual conservative solid black,navy or burgundy usually does the trick but make sure it complements the outfit . In the same way patterned ties could work . When I say patterned I don’t mean bold and colourful floral prints , I mean striped, birdseye , graph checked, and the other classics with appropriate toned down or dark neutral colours for a business formal outfit.

For black tie,/evening events you can go for a bow tie or something similar to business formal. For weddings💐 you can go for bow ties too and pastel coloured , the classics or pretty patterned ties. Always make sure that the tie isn’t too loose or too tight. The tie must be long enough to touch the waistline of your trousers or slightly touch your belt’s buckle but it shouldn’t cross the buckle.

2. Pocket square

Pocket squares are meant to complement a tie . Never match a tie directly to a pocket square. In choosing a pocket square, selecting a patterned one with some or similar colours to the tie will be ok. You can also go for classic white( to be safe) or be experimental with patterns and colours but be mindful of the fact that a wrong choice can destroy your look. Pocket squares must not clash with the tie in terms of colour and pattern instead they must complement as said earlier.

3. Tie clip/bar

The role of tie clips or bars is to hold/fasten a tie to the shirt. Tie clips must be located between the third and fourth button of the shirt. They should be ½-¾ of the width across the tie ( not to long all the way, not too short 👍). A tie clip/band is needless when you’re wearing a three piece suit (ie. Trousers,vest/waistcoat and jacket) because the waistcoat/vest holds the tie in place . The tie clip would be useless in that outfit.

4. Cufflinks

Cufflinks are usually put on french cuff shirts . They’re so small and cute yet they make a statement ✨. Cool . Match cufflinks with the other metals in your outfit. Gold =gold, silver=silver.

5. Lapel pin

Lapel pins are worn on the upper left lapel of a suit jacket. They sometimes symbolize achievements 🎖️🎖️ and belongingness to a particular society, organization or country. The flower lapel pins 🌺🌼 are usually worn for weddings, prom and other related events.

Note:

  • Eliminating the necktie/bowtie makes your outfit business casual/casual . It’s laid back and appropriate for a casual work environment.
  • Match the metals in your outfit.i.e . The metal of your belt buckle, cufflinks, lapel pins,tie clips , shoes and watches must all match . If you’re going for a silver tie clip makes sure the other metals are also silver.
  • Match the leather of your shoes and belt in your outfit. If it’s black leather, make sure it runs through out .
  • For business formal don’t wear brightly coloured socks 🧦. Stick to the dark colours like navy , black and brown. And make sure they are long enough.

The next time you wear a suit I hope you consider these few factors to help make the appropriate choices for any setting.

There’s more to come your way on ACCESSORIZE ✨ (The series) . Share your thoughts and concerns in the comments section. 👍 Like and share if you liked it. I urge that you don’t miss the next post and the other posts in this series.

👋Have a lovely day 🤗.

ACCESSORIZE ✨ ( The series )

| Ann.Frimps

Accessories have great worth and significance in fashion. These date way back to thousands of centuries before where gloves 🧤 , fans , pocket watches and monocles🧐😅were dominant. Even though times have changed, accessories are still a very important part of fashion.

Accessories are almost similar to icing on a cake 🎂 . Some accessories also provide functions like warmth , protection and storage apart from adding pizzazz to your clothes. Accessories are meant to complement what’s already there ,bring out understated components and pull the look together to form a complete outfit.

Accessories, when worn rightly can create a stunning look but when worn wrongly can totally mess up everything. Sometimes we don’t know what accessories to wear for which occasion, how to wear them or the rules associated with wearing them . Other times, we also fail to acknowledge the versatility of some accessories.

Did you know that, there are some watches you can’t wear with a formal suit? . Or that you can’t wear some accessories during certain times of the day?

ACCESORIZE ✨(The series) is a comprehensive collection of blog posts about accesorizing which I’ll be bringing to you . Make sure you don’t miss out on any of them. 🙂

If you have any specific concerns, tips and suggestions about accesorizing, don’t hesitate to reach out through the comments section or via Pinterest and Email 🙂. Thank you 👋 . P.S. Don’t miss out